Characterization and Evaluation of Physico-Chemical Properties of Polymeric Fabrics Treated with UV/Ozone

Recently, much attention has been focused on using physical treatments for improving functional properties of polymeric fabrics since they have several useful advantages, such as non toxicity, soil release, improving physical properties and chemical reactivity of fabrics, avoiding environmental pollution resulting from chemical modification, etc. Hence, this article discusses the feasiblity and characterization of using UV/ozone treatments as a source of surface modification on the surface and bulk characteristics of various polymeric fabrics. Thus, pure cotton, pure polyester, and blend (cotton/polyester) fabrics are treated with UV/ozone for different periods of time (1,3,5,10,15, 20 and 60 minutes). The treated samples are examined and evaluated through various measurements involving the Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) that provides evidence for the changes in the peak intensity values of different functional groups characterizing each fabric ,whiteness and yellowness indices, tensile strength, percentage elongation, and Young's modulus values, which are inversely related to the elacticity of the fabric. Moreover, the efficiency of this treatment process is tested by evaluating the dyeing characteristics by using two different dye classes which involve measuring dye up-take (K/S) values and light fastness assessments.